


A gift from the Gods

by jamepa



Category: Atlantis (UK TV)
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-01-03
Updated: 2015-01-03
Packaged: 2018-03-05 00:18:02
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,010
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3097916
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/jamepa/pseuds/jamepa
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Jason sees something that tugs at his heart.</p>
            </blockquote>





	A gift from the Gods

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first fan fiction, written during the start of series one. I have just got up the courage to post, please be kind.

Jason stopped short and stared in wonder and ddisbelief a the stall in the agora. He found it hard to breath, as if he had been hit hard in the stomach, his jaw trembled and tears filled his eyes.'It can't be, it can't' he thought, stretching out a shaking hand to pick up a beautiful earthenware jug, painted with dancing figures.  
'You like it?' The stall holder asked, 'It's very fine, not cheap'.  
Jason took.the hint and carefully replaced the item, his thoughts whirled. He remembered his Uncle Mac cradling just such an artefact. Mac had told him that he had found it washed up on the shore of the Adriatic. He hah had an unsuccessful dive, and was walking off his frustration along the beach. A 'Gift from three Gods' he called it. For many years it had stood, treasured in Mac's small office, only brought out on occasions to impress other archaeologists. Now the identical pot stood on a market stall in a hot,dusty street in Atlantis.  
A sudden rush of homesickness swept over him.  
'How much is it?'His voice shook slightly.  
'40 Poseidons'  
'Ah'.  
'Jason,Jason, are you alright?  
Pythagoras was at his side, thin arms loaded with bread and fruit.  
You look as if you've seen a ghost '.  
Jason looked at his friend and gave a small smile.  
'Not a ghost, just a blast from the past.'.  
'Pardon?' Pythagoras gave Jason a confused look.  
Jason smiled and shook his head.  
,That jug' He pointed 'I had one just like it before......'  
'Before you came to Atlantis'Jason nodded, a far away look in his eye. Pythagoras digested the tiny fragment of Jason's history, he smiled.  
'It is beautiful, but out of our pockets I'm afraid'. The young mathematician gave Jason a gentle nudge.  
'Come on, it's time we were home,Hercules will be Hungary's.  
Jason gave his friend a huge grin.  
'When is he not?'  
Laughing, the pair set off for the small house they shared with the aging hero, but not before Jason had cast a final longing look at the beautiful jug.  
.......................................................................................................................................The following morning,alone in the house, Pythagoras went into his sleeping chamber and bending down reached under his bed and retrieved a small package.Sitting back on his heels,he opened a shabby, leather pouch and counted out 10 coins. He frowned and bit his lip, it had taken a long time to save the money a little at a time, for what?For an emergency, for the day they couldn't scrape enough together e r for a loaf of bread.  
But seeing the pain belonging on Jason's face had set the young man on another track.  
Standing took put the precious 10 Poseidon and left the house.  
Some time later, after much pleading and promises the stall holder had finally agree to hold the jug for seven days.  
Pythagoras then set off for the construction site on the far side of the city, he knew that Hercules would never walk that distance to work and Jason, was acting as a security guard in a rich merchant's warehouse.  
The foreman looked over the slight figure in front of him and gave a sneering laugh.  
'So, you need work, what can you do?'  
'I am stronger than I look, please just tell me what needs don't.  
'Very well, I am short of labourers,I'll give you a try. Take that load of bricks over to the builder's.  
So, Pythagoras, laboured all day, under the hot Sun, lifting,carrying and stacking clay bricks. His skin became sore and red, his hands bloody and blistered his back felt like it would break and his head ached abominable, but, at the end of the day he had 2more Poseidon in his pouch.  
Hercules was already in the tavern when Pythagoras staggered,exhausedthrough the door. Jason leapt from his stool and steered his friend to the table.  
'Where have you been? We were worried.'  
'Sorry, forgot the time'. Pythagoras, muttered his head dropping onto his arms.  
'We saved some supper for you.'  
Jason filled a small bowl with the soup, Hercules had made earlier. Pythagoras was almost too exhausted to eat it, but forced himself,seeing the concerned look on his friends face.  
The following morning, the young mathematician, woke early and wrapping a small piece of bread in a cloth, slipped, silently from the house, before Jason woke, Hercules would sleep 'till noon.  
Another day of hard labour saw him almost crippled with pain and exhaustion but with more coins to add to his precious store.  
But on the third night on arriving home and dragging his weary body up the stairs , he was pulled up short by Hercules' voice.  
'So are you going to tell me why you are coming home, exhausted every night, is she worth it?'  
Pythagoras, gripped the door frame, swaying slightly'  
His old friend was sitting at the table, there was no sign of Jason.  
'No,I don't think so, it's none of your business' The boy muttered. 'PleaseI just want to go to bed'  
'None of my business to care about my friends?'Hercules rose and moving to Pythagoras, took him,none to gently by the arm.  
'Look at you, you can hardly stand are sunburnt and , I suspect, have hardly eaten all day, sit down,please, and talk to me.  
Too exhausted to argue,p  
Pythagoras, collapsed onto a stool.  
'Where's Jason, is he asleep?,'  
Hercules grunted,  
'No, he's out looking for you. It's so unlike you to be out all day and into the dark, and this is the third time. We were worried.' The big man pours wine into a breaker and passed it to his young friend, then gasped and grabbed the thin wrist, Turing the Palm up and staring at the blood soaked bandage.  
'What happened to your hand?  
Pythagoras tried to pull his hand away, but Hercules lent forward and gripped the other hand looking with concern at the bloody mess.  
Pythagoras,gave a huge sigh and resigned himself to confining in his old friend'I have been working in a construction site on the Easten side '.He said in a small voice.  
'By the Gods, why?'  
'Trying to get enough money to......,' he stopped, embarrassed to confess.  
Hercules simply stood and gathered a bowl of warm water and a soft cloth and,gently, began to administer to the damaged hands.  
'To what? ' he urged.  
'To buy something special for Jason's.  
Hercules merely nodded and Pythagoras rd him of the beautiful jug that had touched Jason  
So.  
' For a genius, you can be very foolish sometime '.  
The big man gently tied soft linen around the sore hands.  
'How much have you got?'.  
Pythagoras reached into his pouch and dropped 6 Poseidon onto the table.  
'That and I have paid 10, as a deposit '.  
'And how much is the precious pot?'.  
'40 Poseidon'  
Hercules shook his head and gave the thin shoulder a squeeze.  
'You really care for him don't you'll.  
Pythagoras, couldn't speak, he just nodded, then,to his horror, felt tears tricking his eyes, he gave a shuddering sign and dropped his head to the table. Hercules ran a callousness hand through the sandy curls, then bending he picked the boy up , like a child, and carried him.to his bed  
'Sleep well, my friend, we will think of a solution tomorrow.  
When Pythagoras woke the following day, the sun was high in the sky, and the house was empty. On the table was a jug of fresh milk a small loaf and a bunch of the grapes that he liked especially. He was just about to start eating, when the door banged open and Hercules entered,beaming.  
'Well, my young friend, awake at lady's.  
Pythagoras looked at him grossly.  
'Yes but too late for work, I'll have lost the job.'  
'Have no fears, I have found you the perfect employment, and the monies better,'  
Hercules stole two grapes and ate them with relish.  
Pythagoras swallowed.'What? Where ?'  
'Well, thank you Hercules for saving me again'.  
'Sorry' The boy muttered 'But please tell me'.  
'Ah, my old friend, Menaus, just happens to be looking for a scribe to help out ,temporarily, in his warehouse, tallying goods in and out, that sort of thing. You start today, at noon, he will pay 5 Poseidon a day if you are any good.'  
Hercules was surprised by a pair of skinny arms flung around his neck, as Pythagoras hugged him with joy.  
'Thank you, thank you, you are the best of friends '.  
' Well, I couldn't stand by and watch you kill yourself , for the sake of a few coins, Now eat up and go Menaus is particular about time.'  
........................................................................................................................................  
Four days later, Pythagoras, was again at the market stall pleading with the owner.  
'I am only 4 Poseidon short, I promise I will have it in a day or two's.  
'So I have to wait again. I could have sold that jug twenty times over'  
Pythagoras, gave the man a pleading look.  
'Please. It's very important to me.  
'Why? Why is it so important to you?'.  
'Because..' Pythagoras stopped, it was difficult to put into words, why it was so important. He didn't even know himself, but it just was.  
'Beacause.. it's for my friend and it's important to him. '  
The look in Pythagoras' wide blue eyes was too much for the man.  
He grunted.  
'Iam a fool to myself,two days , no more. Now go away and let me serve customers who have money's.  
Pythagoras gave him a huge relieved grin and ran off through  
The streets to Menaus' warehouse.  
.........................................................................................  
Jason wandered idly through the Agora,in the evening light. He had bought fish fresh from.the boats for supper and a skin of wine hung from his shoulder.  
He stopped by the potter's stall looking for the beautiful jug. It was gone  
The pain that swept over him was a surprise. Of course it had gone, anyway he could never have afforded it. Just a silly dream. But the site of it had brought Mac's weatherbeat face so clearly to his mind, that it hurt. He shook his head and angrily brushed away the tear that threatened to fall. He felt stupid and ungrateful. This was his home now,this hot dusty ancient city,where he lived with two of the best friends he had ever had. Why should the loss of a small jug affect him so.  
Taking a deep.breath he headed for the small, ramshackle house and climbed the stairs.  
On entering looked around no-one appeared to be in, though the curtain that hung in the doorway to Pythagoras' Sleeping area was, unusually,closed. Jason walked to the table to deposit his purchases,and stopped suddenly, his heart beating rapidly, eyes wide open in surprise. It couldn't be.  
On the rough hewn table stood the beautiful jug, that tugged his heart so much much. Slowly Jason placed the fish and wine on the table and, lifted the jug, staring, unbelievably, at it resting in his strong brown hand  
'How? Why? Who?'  
Had he spoken out loud ?  
He heard a step behind him, and turning saw Hercules with a big grin on his face.  
' A gift from the Gods. Be careful not to drop it. '  
Jason realized that his hands were shaking and carefully replaced the jug on the table, he stared at Hercules a question in his eyes.  
'Did you?'  
Hercules just shook his head and indicated the drawn curtain.  
Jason's eyes widened.  
' How? Why?'.He whispered.  
' How, by almost killing himself, why, Suppose because he is a kind hearted, generous idiot, who love's you'.  
Jason flew across the room ,flung back the curtain an flung his arms around the young Mathematician who was sitting shyly on his bed.  
' Pythagoras, what did I ever do to deserve such a wonderful friend ?'  
Jason's voice shook.  
Pythagoras returned the hug.  
'Is it alright, do you like it?'.  
'I love it' Jason laughed 'But not as much as I love you.'

...........................................................................................

 

 

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End file.
